The Carolina Panthers plan to explore the possibility of signing former Pro Bowl tight end Alge Crumpler once he officially appears on the NFL waiver list, according to sources.

Though the Falcons announced the release of Crumpler and other players on Friday, their names did not appear on the league's waiver list late in the afternoon.

A new list won't be released again until Monday afternoon.

Released players aren't officially available to other teams until they've cleared waivers, which so far has prevented the Panthers from beginning the process of recruiting and evaluating Crumpler.

Carolina general manager Marty Hurney declined to comment, but did confirm that Crumpler had not yet shown up on a waiver list.

The delay could keep Crumpler from signing with a new team for perhaps as much as a week. Interested clubs likely will want to give him a physical to check on his recovery from recent knee injuries.

But teams' medical and training personnel are scheduled to be in Indianapolis next week for the annual scouting combine.

Seattle is also expected to be interested in Crumpler. Former Falcons coach Jim Mora is a Seahawks assistant.

Crumpler, 30, was a college teammate of Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers at North Carolina.

Crumpler has made the Pro Bowl four times in his seven seasons with the Falcons.

He had 42 catches for 444 yards last season and five touchdowns, his second-lowest production as a pro.

He was inactive for two games and frequently had to miss practice because of his knee problems.

Crumpler traditionally has played well against the Panthers. He scored in both games against Carolina last season, including a 30-yard game-winning touchdown with 20 seconds left in Atlanta's 20-13 win in Charlotte on Nov. 11.

The Panthers have made it an offseason priority to improve their offense, which ranked 29th in the NFL last season.

Second-year tight end Jeff King was their second-leading receiver with 46 catches for 406 yards and two touchdowns.

Busy Month

Early in the offseason, Carolina has been active:

STAYING: Tackle Travelle Wharton, defensive lineman Damione Lewis and safety Chris Harris signed new contracts.

GOING: Linebacker Dan Morgan and guard Mike Wahle were released.

See more at www.charlotte.com